1. Field Of Invention
This invention relates generally to dining implements, specifically to plates and cups useful for casual dining.
2. Description Of Prior Art
Many social events require a person to eat while standing. With conventional plates and cups, one is forced to either stand near a table so as to have a place to place the cup when not in use, attempt to balance the cup on the plate, the plate on the cup, or eat first and drink later.
Some plate designs attempt to solve this problem by providing a place for the cup or glass to be set or clipped onto the plate. However the stability of the plate and cup arrangement is so poor that a slight bump usually will tip the glass or cup over. Also, one cannot set the plate down on a table without disengaging the cup (or glass) fron the plate. Examples of such arrangements are the cup-holding plates in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,607,758 to Stevens (1986) and 4,5126,685 to French (1985), and UK patent application 2,078,493 to Francis (1982). Nowland and Selvin, in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 227,851 (1973) shows another cup-holding plate, but this has an elongated handle below the plate, also making it impossible to set down.